6 Nations Tapas

2010 Six Nations rugby is nearly upon us again - thats the weekends sorted... being a bit of a rugby nut I tend to get prepared for a good Saturday afternoon especialy when there are three games on. Yup its a rugby showdown and no-one gets the tv switcher until the last whistle is blown.

Weekends usualy involve tapas anyway but when the rugby is on its a different matter, usualy we get a full ham in - tapas "on tap" as and when required. Its a real shame we cannot watch Spain in the rugby (yes Spain do have a national team) they took part in the 1999 rugby world cup and are still regarded as one of strongest European teams outside the 6 Nations, maybe one day Italians will no longer be the under dogs in this fantastic tournament and we will have a 7 Nations with Spain striving to earn its place and climb the rankings. A long way off? Well maybe but who would have ever thought that the Italians would bring Mediterranean flair to the game and take to task even the strongest of 6N teams?

Spain is on the cards for a well deserved slot some time in the future, a world cup place perhaps? C'mon its allways great to watch the "minnows" secretly wishing for a giant killing upset ~ Imagine the flamenco if Spain executed some exceptionaly planned white line fever and scored against England...

Tapas lineout

Ham, lots of it. Rugby fans don't particularly need wafer thin slices during game time so a big ham piece for easy carving to escape the half time talk is always good.

Fire Chorizo, bigger and the spicier the better, every rugby player thrives on a Sebastian Chabal hit now and then.

Lomo: One for the backs, a tenderloin of pork, easily devoured and never lasts long.

Paella: Forward consumption, takes a while but you get there in the end.

If that isn't enough to get you in the mood take a peak at this:

Images of Andalucia

Images of Andalucia muster up the idea of flamenco, paella, perhaps the world famous and incredibly impressive "Alhambra" or sleepy white washed rural villages where locals go about their daily business of laid back siestas, the odd spot of shopping, washing the doorstep to a shine and chatting with the neighbours across the street.



Andalucia is a beautiful region of Spain, the largest and also the most southerly with influence from the Moors to be seen in stunning castles, re-enactments of Christian battles from days gone by and also an strong influence with food and cooking. Andalucia is also famous for its caves ~ in fact we ourselves bought one back in 2004 and find it to be one of the most secure and relaxing ways of living, difficult to explain perhaps unless you have had the pleasure of staying in one of these unique dwellings.



Spanish cave homes are found mostly in rural Granada, East of the city in small pockets of old Andalucian villages many of which are made up predominantly of century old cave homes. Rural Spain means the countryside or to be strictly correct "El campo". Scorched during the summer months the campo can become very dry - almost like a wasteland, however the views are nothing short of spectacular.



Bring the rain! Boy when it rains it rains, drops hammering down the chimney onto the stove top, towels by the door just to be safe and if a venture out is required plastic bags tied around the footwear. Campo dust becomes a muddy sludge you could almost make cazuelas out of. Everyone loves a good downpour - clears the air and it never takes long before the sun dries out the deluge, during early spring it takes but a matter of days for what is soon to be dust transform into a lush meadow like a carpet of flower and fauna, a brief but spectacular event in nature's calendar which never ceases to amaze.



A year ago I invested in a Panasonic Lumix (cracking camera) a DSLR was just of reach but the Lumix performs superbly for what we need. Primarily for food photography the photo bug bit well and hard so whenever time allows I try and capture whatever is offer which is usually quite a lot, Andalucia tends to deliver almost every day with its seamless beauty, ever changing weather, character and cultural apsects. A great place for the budding photographer.



All photos © Copyright 2010 Orce Serrano Hams

Iberico Hams - The New Law

The Spanish Iberian ham is without doubt Spain's finest gastronomic export. There has always though, been a degree of confusion regarding the different grades of Iberian ham and also the naming of the ham itself. In November 2009 the "Consejo Regulador Los Pedroches" (governing body) and the Ministry of Food ruled that the terms "Reserva" and "Grand Reserva" could not be used to describe Iberian ham. This action follows on from a similar decision to abolish term "Pata Negra"

Pata Negra (literally meaning black foot) was banned as regulations surrounding Iberian ham were revised, in truth not all Iberian pigs have "black feet" and not all Iberian pigs are fed on acorns so the term pata negra was deemed too broad and unsuitable for such a regulated product.

As of November 2009 Iberian hams fall into five catagories, these are Denominacion de Origen, Bellota, Recebo, Cebo and Cebo de Campo. Confused? Here's what it all means:

Denominacion de Origen (D.O) Iberian pigs where the Mother is as pure bred as possible and no less than 75% Iberico strain. Every stage from breeding to final curing is approved by the regulatory body.

Bellota, free range pigs that feed on acorns and grass.

Recebo, free range pigs that are fed on a mixed diet of acorns and compound feed.

Cebo, Iberian pigs (not free range) fed solely on compound feed

Cebo de Campo, Iberian pigs fed on a compound diet but which are also free range.

So what to look out for when buying Iberico ham? Bearing in mind that not all Iberian pigs are fed on acorns or "bellotas" flavours will vary quite significantly between each grade. Curing time for the cream of the crop "D.O" ham is a minimum of 36 months where as a Cebo grade ham is only cured for 24. The correct name should also be present, details of the producer and a numbered tag around the hoof.

Prices vary significantly between suppliers but as a general rule you should be able to buy a top of the range acorn fed ham for under 500 euros. Weight will be around 7.0 - 7.5kg and with a flavour and texture unlike anything else you will know where every penny has gone!

For further information on approved Iberian hams from the Pedroches valley click here

Skate Wings in Parsely Butter

If you had asked me about skate wings 6 years ago before we moved to Spain it would be fair to say that I would have been delving into the nearest recipe book to find out what to do with them.

Now though is a slightly different story, Skate is available every Tuesday and Friday from the Orce fish shop and finding a recipe is simply a case of ditching the cook book and asking the local fishmonger. Skate wings are lovely and meaty when cooked and this easy butter sauce adds lovely flavour.

This is a great lunch dish served with new potatoes and fresh greens.

You will need (serves 2):

2 small skate wings
Plain flour
75g butter
Handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
Squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Wash the wings well and pat dry with kitchen paper, then dust with seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.

2. Melt a little of the butter in a large frying pan and fry the wings on a medium heat for 5 minutes or so on each side until golden. Remove and place on serving plates.

3. Add the rest of the butter to the frying pan and cook until it turns brown, taking care not to burn it, you could add a little olive oil to prevent burning. Take the pan off the heat, add the parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.

4. Pour the sauce over the skate and serve.

More seafood recipes >>>

Mussel, Prawn and Calamari Paella

Variation of Spanish paella, the great thing about Spanish paella is that the dish is so versatile. Originally from Valencia the traditional Valencian paella has influenced every one of today’s modern twists on what is now an International dish. There are many variations of Spanish paella; a popular version is using mixed seafood.







Ingredients: (serves 12)

1kg Calasparra paella rice (full sack)
2 Red bell peppers
4 Artichoke hearts
4 Cloves of Garlic (crushed)
2 Large onions
6 Plum tomatoes
Pinch saffron
2kg Fresh mussels (pre steamed)
600g Fresh prawns
300g squid rings
2 Litres good fish stock
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Mixed herbs (optional)

Method:

1. To prepare the vegetables roughly chop the tomatoes, slice the pepper into small squares, dice the onion and halve the artichoke hearts. Leave the artichokes to one side and fry the rest over a high heat until the onions become transparent.

2. Turn down the heat then, using a ladle add the rice counting each ladleful as you go – one kilo of rice is roughly 7 ladles.

3. Stir the rice into the vegetables and continue to cook until the rice begins to lose its colour.

4. Ladle in the stock using two ladles of stock for every one of rice, cook for 10 minutes until the rice begins to absorb the liquid.

5. Add a pinch of saffron.

6. Add the pre steamed mussels, prawns and the halved artichoke hearts.

7. Cover the entire paella pan with tinfoil and continue to cook over a medium heat for another 8 – 10 minutes.
8. Remove the foil and allow to rest for 2 minutes before serving.

Paella tip: Steamed mussels are a delicious ingredient in seafood paella. After steaming retain any liquid left over to mix with your fish stock. Leave a dozen mussels in their shells for presentation.

More Spanish paella recipes, ingredients and equipment >>> HERE

Spanish ham - Fact or Fiction?

A few facts on Spanish ham... Buying Spanish ham can be quite a complicated business especially for the customer. Throughout 2009 we kept tabs on some of the more factual and unusual aspects being reported about Spanish hams.

1. Has the term "pata negra" been banned? - Fact. At least by the Spanish authorities Spanish retailers and producers are no longer permitted to sell iberian hams under the "pata negra" name. The name itself literally means "black foot" reputable producers carrying the Denominacion de Origen stamp will always describe their Iberian hams "Bellota, Recebo or Cebo" ~ it may be worth noting that the terms Reserva and Grand Reserva regarding Iberian hams are no longer permitted either so watch out for curing times or the secaderos own coloured labelling system instead.

2. Iberico pigs feed on acorns to make them thirsty, they then run around trying to find water which in turn produces the texture of the meat - Fiction, absolute nonsense but reported in an online and hard copy Spanish local newspaper, the author of the article was not Spanish.

3. The price of "Cebo" iberico hams halved during the latter period of 2009 because too many have been produced - Fiction, prices have not decreased although there are more non bellota hams being produced which may drive prices down marginally in the future.

4. The price of "Bellota" iberico hams may rise in future due to a disease killing Spanish oak trees - Fact. It is true that the humble acorn is dwindling in the dehesas (meadows) steps are being taken to eradicate the problem and the situation has been recognised as potentially serious for future bellota ham production.

5. USDA regulations stipulated in 2009 that the "hoof" from iberico ham imports had to be removed - Fact.

6. Serrano ham is the same as Iberico ham - Fiction. Iberico ham and serrano ham are worlds apart, both Spanish gourmet in every sense of the word but Iberian ham should be regarded as a different product.

7. A serrano ham cut in a "V" has a better flavour and texture - Fiction. Some hams are cut in a "v" which means that the skin (or rind) from the outer side of the leg has been removed, the name v-cut is so as the cutting creates a v like shape on one side of the ham. Experts say that this cutting process is purely down to the secaderos (curing house) manufacturing process and has no beneficial gain to any aspect of the end product.

8. Serrano hams can be smoked - Fiction. The only ingredients in an authentic Spanish serrano ham should be ham - salt - time. Serrano hams are never smoked, Italian parma ham which again is a different product can be smoked.

9. There are more serrano hams produced than iberico hams - Fact. Iberico hams only account for around 7% of ham production in Spain.

10. Cinco Jotas 5J ham is the worlds best - Fiction, this always comes down to personal taste. There are a handful of regions in Spain which carry the "D.O" stamp, each bellota ham from these regions are exceptional. It is fair to say however that 5J hams from Sanchez Romero have gained an enviable reputation and produce some of the finest artisan hams and embutidos in the world. There are though, other equally good alternatives...

Too many oranges!

One of the best things about having neighbours with a holiday home next door is that you get all the left over goodies just before they leave. This happens quite regularly especially during the month of August and other fiesta times such as Semana Santa.

This year our neighbours Monste and Maribel left for Barcelona shortly after the New Year. A week earlier when they first arrived we were inundated with oranges, freshly harvested from a farm (or enormous back garden) near Reus in Catalunya. Being a little more health aware for 2010 we decided that at least for the meantime oranges were to be the way to go for a our daily dose of vitamins.

Then came the carrier bags, we had noticed previously a suspiciously large quantity of oranges in the neighbours cave and thought that they would be using them, giving them away or taking them back, little did we know they would arrive by the kilo a few days later.

A nice problem to have.... a bag of sugar later and a couple of lemons - MARMALADE!

I remember my Mother making marmalade back in the UK in the late 80's, this looks nothing like it but tastes good nonetheless. We will of course be keeping a jar or two for the neigbours.

Neighbours Orange Marmalade:

Ingredients:

12 Large oranges
5 Cups white sugar

How to make:

1. This is a recipe for quick marmalade... wash the oranges and remove the stems.

2. Cut each orange into eighths or roughly chop.

3. Place in a blender and blend well adding the sugar.

4. Place in a large pot and bring to the boil then simmer gently, stirring to make sure it doesn't burn for 10 minutes.

5. Spoon into jars, tighten the lids, leave to cool then put in the fridge.

Great on toast!

Mackerel in Olive Escabeche

This Spanish mackerel recipe is delicious as a light summer lunch and it can also be served up as a flavoursome “racione” (big tapa). The fresh mackerel goes well with a light sauce and the Andalucian pitted olives add that real twist of Spanish flavour for this easy to make seafood recipe.

You will need:

4 Large mackerel fillets
Flour
Olive oil
Parsley

Escabeche Ingredients:

Olive oil
4 Garlic cloves (crushed)
1 Large onion (diced)
1 Small red chilli
3 Bay leaves
Pinch saffron
75g Manzanilla olives (pitted)
250ml Chicken stock
White wine vinegar

Method:

1. Sauce first, lightly fry the onion and garlic until translucent then add the stock, white wine vinegar, chilli, pinch of saffron and the bay leaves. Cook for 10 – 12 minutes on a medium heat. Add the pitted Manzanilla olives when sauce is hot

2. Meanwhile, dust the mackerel fillets in seasoned flour then fry skin down first for 60 seconds in a little olive oil. Turn over and fry for another 60 seconds.

3. When the fillets are done, serve onto plates and cover with the escabeche, leave for 2 minutes before serving.

4. Scatter generously with roughly chopped broadleaf parsley and serve with crusty bread.

The Spanish Cazuela

This week guest writer Victoria Twead, author of the laugh out loud funny "Chickens, Mules and two old fools" gives us the lowdown on the humble cazuela, the terracotta cooking dish that no Spanish kitchen is without.

The Magic Spanish Cooking Pot ~ Victoria Twead

Before I moved to Spain, I didn’t even know what a cazuela was. Now I’m accustomed to seeing shop shelves bowed down with piles of them. Orce Serrano Hams offer cazuelas in a variety of sizes.

A cazuela is a Spanish version of a casserole dish, made from clay and instantly recognisable. Some are authentic and hand-thrown, others are mass-produced. Whether hand or factory-made, the terracotta dish is slow-fired in a kiln which ensures amazing strength and density in the finished article. Then it is glazed, but only in the interior, then fired again.

Cazuelas are exceptionally sturdy and most are safe to use in the oven, on the stovetop, barbecue or in the microwave. Every Spanish household has cazuelas in its kitchen, often passed down from mother to daughter.

In my village in the mountains, the ladies use cazuelas all the time. They taught me the proper way to care for cazuelas, a method used since the Middle Ages:

Soak the entire dish in water and leave for 12 hours

Drain and wipe dry, then rub the unglazed bottom with a clove of garlic

Fill the dish with water to half an inch below the rim, and add half a cup of vinegar

Slowly bring the water to boiling on a low heat and boil until just half a cup remains

Cool slowly and wash

Your cazuela is now ready for use - the garlic has created a seal. The method seasons the pot, kills bacteria and hardens the unglazed parts. If you look after your cazuela, my neighbours assure me, it will last several lifetimes.

Victoria Twead

Useful Links:

Victoria's Website
Buy the Book!
Worlds Smallest Cazuela

Spanish Churros

Walking around the local market in Orce village on a wintry Tuesday morning you can on occasion catch the faint smell of churros, torrefacto coffee and taza chocolate. Particularly welcoming aromas in the winter as you know that something hot to drink or eat is only a few moments away should you choose.



Orce market like most others in the region is packed with fruit and veg stalls, cured fish, sweets, crafts and there is of course always the "churros man" skillfully swirling freshly mixed batter into the deep fat fryer from his traditional churrera. Batter or pancake mix is basically what churros are - its the way they are made and cooked that makes the difference.



The churrera is the piece of quite simple kit that is made from metal and has a wooden plunger, the mixture is placed inside then using the plunger forced out of a nozzle directly into hot oil in a long swirl. A few minutes later the churros are ready, snipped into six inch lengths then handed to you in paper. Sugar is always on offer and they do make quite a breakfast! Churreras are also available in domestic size so you can make your own at home.

At coffee bars there also sometimes churros being made near the front door, this is where the coffee bar comes into its own as if you order churros here you can also order "chocolate a la taza" that thick Spanish drinking chocolate in which you dip your churros into for a chocoholics dream.



Churros Recipe:

Ingredients: (Makes one large plate full)

Olive Oil for frying
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter
pinch of salt
1 cup plain flour
3 eggs


How to prepare:

1. Place water, butter and salt into a large saucepan and heat until it just begins to bubble.

2. Reduce the heat and add the flour stirring continuously until you get a smooth mixture.


3. Add the eggs (already beaten) to the pan and continue to stir until the mixture resembles a smooth, thick batter.

4. Heat the olive oil in a large deep frying pan and when it is hot, just before smoking, you are ready to cook the churros.


5. Spoon the mixture into your churro maker and squeeze about 3 strips at a time into the hot oil. Cook for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown drain on kitchen paper and repeat for the next batch.

6. Churros are traditionally eaten with a sprinkling of sugar or dipped in the ultimate hot chocolate, the thick chocolate a la taza.

Morcilla, fried egg & garlic potatoes

Morcilla or "black pudding" is made in both hot and sweet varieties, the hot or "picante" version has quite a kick and served with a fried egg and crispy garlic potatoes it makes a great wake up breakfast - sure to blow the cobwebs out and get you functioning after a cerveza too many the night before!

You will need: (serves 2)

4 Morcilla sausages
2 Eggs
2 Medium potatoes
Fresh parsley
1 Clove garlic
Olive oil

Method:

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into inch square cubes, rinse and par boil for 6 - 8 minutes.


2. Meanwhile, cut the morcilla sausages into inch long segments and gently fry in olive oil.

3. Peel and dice the clove of garlic.

4. Remove the morcilla from the pan and throw the potato into the same oil and fry for 5 minutes with the crushed garlic until crispy.

5. Fry, poach or scramble the eggs, garnish with roughly chopped parsley and serve with toast and torrefacto coffee.

Delicious!